Jérôme Sabbagh 4Tet

A saxophonist who comes from the jazz tradition and represents the most eclectic and vibrant aspects of the contemporary New York scene, Jérôme Sabbagh's style is marked by a deep attachment to melody. Sabbagh's quartet has been together for 20 years, a remarkable and rare stability in jazz today. Over the years, it has developed a sound all its own, owing much to the excellence of its musicians.

Jerome Sabbagh, saxophonist and composer, was born in Paris in 1973 and has lived in New York since 1995. He favors lyricism and sound quality above all else, seeking the right phrase. He offers varied and coherent music that oscillates between pop/rock atmospheres and mysterious moods, always leaving an important place for improvisation. He was one of Paul Motian's last saxophonists, with whom he played for a week at the Village Vanguard alongside Ben Monder. He has recorded twelve albums as a leader with his quartet, as well as with Kenny Barron, Al Foster, Ben Street, Rodney Green, Daniel Humair, Jozef Dumoulin, Greg Tuohey, and Johnathan Blake.

With inspired solos and ever-inventive harmonies, Ben Monder, member of The Bad Plus and partner of Maria Schneider, Paul Motian, and Lee Konitz, proves night after night that he is one of today's greatest guitarists.

Joe Martin, an all-round double bassist and regular partner of Mark Turner (he appears on the saxophonist's ECM album Lathe of Heaven) and Chris Potter, provides this music with an impeccable foundation, thanks in particular to the precision of his phrasing.

On drums, one of today's greatest drummers, Nasheet Waits, has now joined the quartet. He brings a drum sound and a sense of listening that are deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, while also renewing it.

Jérôme Sabbagh's quartet's new album, Stand Up!, which showcases the saxophonist's new compositions, is the group's fourth album after North, Pogo, and The Turn, and the first with Nasheet Waits. It was released on the new Analog Tone Factory label, created by Jerome Sabbagh and Pete Rende, which focuses on analog recording and has already attracted considerable attention from jazz lovers and audiophiles alike. 

Jerome Sabbagh expresses himself with confidence, and his compositions, which are both flexible and solid, captivate the listener. Equally important is the fact that the other members of the group are constantly on the lookout for the unusual and the unexpected, both individually and collectively. […] Mr. Sabbagh avoids direct references to the giants of the saxophone. Instead, he develops a personal and sincere vocabulary in a simple and effective manner.

– New York Times